Centrifugal machine



G. TER MEIER.

CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB.25, 1921.

Patented Mar. 7, 1922.

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GENTRIFUGAL MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV TER MEER, a citizen of the Republic of Germany, and a resident of Hanover, Germany, have 1nven ted certain new and useful Imrovements 1n Centrifugal Machines, of which the follow- 7 ing is a specification.

This invention involves certain improvements in centrifugal machines, in which the mixture of liquid and solid to be separated is intermittently admitted to the chamber rotating at high speed, and the solid is solid is discharged radially upon a relativeopening movement of the peripheral wall, and one of the end walls. I have disclosed and broadly claimed such an apparatus 1n my prior Patents 1,094,230, issued April 21, 1914 and 1,160,635, issued November 16, 1915. My present invention involves certam improvements over the construction there illustrated. I

Applications have been filed iniGrermany, Feb. 18, 1920, H 80,090 W821), and 80,091 V/82b, by my assignee, Hannoversche Ma schinenbau-Aktien-Gesellschaft, and disclosing and claiming the subject matter of the present application. I

As one important feature of my present invention I have provided improved means for sealing the joint between the relatively movable peripheral and end walls. In the construction illustrated in my prlor patents the top and bottom Walls are held agalnst endwise movement, while the peripheral wall is mounted to move axially to 'permlt of the discharge of the solid materlal. The bottom wall serves as a scraper during the endwise movement of the peripheral wall, while the top wall is provided with a packing against which the peripheral wall seats when in raised and operative position. In my present invention I provide means whereby the seating surface of the peripheral wall is protected and thereby kept clean during the radial discharge of the solid material. Furthermore this seating surface is so designed that resilient pressure is applied to .it and any material tending to lodge on the Specification of Letters Patent.

seating surfaces will be pushed or forced ofi. I furthermore provide a packing so mounted that the action of centrifugal force during the operation of the machine tends to hold it firmly in place to provide a' tight seal.

As a further improved feature of my present invention I provide means whereby the material upon entering the chamben is del vered to the zone of greatest speed Without disturbing the solid and liquid materials already'in the chamber, and at the lower end thereof, so that the materials within the chamber rise gradually to the upper part and the highest efficiency is attained. Furthermore, any swirling or eddying of the material which would tend to interfere with I Patented Mar, 7, 1922. Application filed February 25, 1921. Serial No. 447,809.

or retard separation is prevented, and a quick and clear separation is effected.

In the accompanymgdrawin s: Figure 1 1s a central vertlcal section through the separation chamber,

Flgure 2 is a transverse section on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional detail similar to a pogtion of Figure 1, but on a larger scale, an

Figure 4 is a sectional detail on the line 4r-4 of Figure 2, and in a curved plane coaxial with the chamber.

I I have illustrated my invention as applied to a construction in which there is a main or central shaft 10 mounted in suitable bearings not shown, and adapted to be driven at high speed. Rigidly secured to this shaft is a head 11 carrying a peripheral wall 12, which serves as the bottom of the separation chamber.

The top of the separation chamber is formed by an annular wall 13, which is rigidly secured to the bottom wall 12, and has an annular lip or flange 14 over which the cleared liquid may discharge during the operation of the machine. The separation chamber has an outer or peripheral wall 15 which is so mounted in respect to the top and bottom walls that there may be a relative longitudinal movement permitting the radial discharge of the solid material from the chamber. As shown, the peripheral wall has a base flange 16 connected by arms 17 to a plurality of piston rods 18, disposed parallel to the main drive shaft 10. The head 11 has a plurality of cylinders 19 or an annular cylinder in which pistons 20 or an annular piston are mounted for reciprocation parallel to the axis of rotation and Nil ' distance, although that oil is a suitable motive .ber 23, so as to form a fluid pressure to opposite sides thereof, and during such reciprocation cause an endwlse or axial movement of the. peripheral wall* '15., Any suitable motive fluid maybe employed, and it may be delivered to. the cylinders in any suitable manner. I have found may be delivered through passages 21 and 22 communicating with opposite ends of the cylinders and extending through the main shaft 10. The means for controlling the flow is not illustrated, and forms no portion of my present invention, and such control ling means may be either manually or automatically operable at selected or definite intervals in the operation of the machine.

As one important feature, the top wall 13 is provided with an annular section 23,

presenting a seating face 24 for engagement with a corresponding face 25 at the upper end of the peripheral wall, and an inwardly f -facing vertical surface 26. The surface 25 of the upper end of the peripheral wall 15 is downwardly and outwardl inclined, and the surface 24 on the undersi e of the annular member 23 is similarly inclined. The member 24 is capable of limited vertical movement in respect to the top wall 13. As shown it has an annular groove or channel 27 in its upper surface for receiving a depending flange 28 on an annular top wall section 29. lVithin the groove or channel 27 is a suitable spring means resiliently pressin the member 23 downwardly. Various diflerent resilient means may be employed, although a simple form includes a plurality of leaf springs 30, each with its intermedlate portion secured to the bottom of the channel 27 by a locking screw 31, and with its opposite upper ends pressing against the lower surface of the flange 28. The top wall 13 also carries an annular section 32 having a peripheral groove receiving an annular packing or gasket member 33. This faces against the vertical surface 26 of the member 23 and beneath a shoulder 34 on the latter. so that th relative vertical movement of the member 23 is limited.

In operation the peripheral wall 15 is forced upwardly against the member 23, and the latter is free to rise through a limited such movement is resprings 30 which latter operate to cause a tight joint to be effected between the two members. During the high speed rotation of the chamber the packing 33 is forced outwardly by centrifugal force against the vertical surface 26 of the memtight joint between the members 23 and 32. Furthermore, it will be noted that the upper end of the wall 15 comes materially above the base flange 35 of the top wall 13, and which carries the sisted by the member fluid, and this vertical radial partitions into separate com-,

Obviously the parts 32 and 35 might be made integral, but in any event are rigid in respect to each other.

Upon the lowering of the peripheral wall the solid material will be thrown out radially by centrifugal force. As the base flange 35 of the top wall 13 is materially below the seating surface 24:, such surface will be protected and will be out of the path of the high speed radially moving material being discharged. Also, the seating surface 25 of the peripheral wall is below the upper inner edge of the peripheral wall, so that during the radialdischarge said upper inner edge protects the seating surface on the peripheral wall, and the discharging material does not come in contact, with it. The protection of these seating surfaces is of great importance as machines of this character are commonly employed for the separation of the solid and. liquid matter in sewage, and the solid material often. contains considerable quantities of sand or other gritty material, which cuts or abrades; any metal surface over which it moves at high speed. The construction provides a tight joint by reason of the action of centrifugal force on the gasket 33 and th action of the. springs 30 and the seating surfaces are protected from abrasion during the discharging operation.

As another important feature of the separation chamber, there is provided means for facilitating the separation of the liquid and solid. This is in part accomplished by the preventing of swirlin or eddy currents in the material. The chamber has passages which force the material as admitted to enter into the zone of greatest speed with minimum disturbing of the solid and liquid material held in the machine. The material as it is admitted tends to force the previously admitted material toward the periphery of the casing and then upwardly within the chamber. Furthermorethe chamber is divided by partments which aid in breaking up swirls and which cause the material to travel circumferentially with the peripheral wall and then at the highest speed to bring about quick clearing In the construction illustrated the material is admitted through a ipe 37 which projects to the lower portion of the chamber and terminates in a laterally facing elbow 38 projecting in the direction of travel of the liquid. The top and'bottom walls are rigidly connected by rods or bars 39, and these carry radially disposed partitions 40. Each partition extends to the bottom of the chamber and inwardly toward the central head, but its inner edge is spaced from the head a distance sufficient to leave room for the stationary intake pipe 37. These partitions are secured to the vertical brace rods 39 in any suitable manner. In addition to the vertical and radial partitions 130 I provide an annular partition 41 which preferably is inclined downwardly and outwardly. The lower edge of this is spaced a short distance from the bottom wall of the chamber. The liquid in entering the chamber through the pipe 37 immediately moves radially between adjacent partitions 40, and instantly takes up the full speed of revolution of the chamber. It travels radially beneath the lower edge of the annular partition 41, and as more material enters, the previously admitted material is forced upwardly between the vertical partitions. Thus the material above and outside of the annular partition 41 is not disturbed by incoming liquid, and remains comparatively quiet in the compartment between the vertical partitions, so that a very rapid clearing or separation is effected. The solid material accumulates against the peripheral wall, while the cleared liquid overflows from the lip or flange 14.

Various changes may be made in the construction illustrated without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is z- 1. A. centrifugal machine having an end wall and a peripheral wall, means for effecting an endwise movement of one of said walls to permit of the radial discharge of material from the chamber, said walls hav ing contacting seating surfaces and means for protecting said surfaces during the discharge of the material.

2. A centrifugal machine having a separation chamber including a peripheral wall and an end wall, said walls having downwardly and outwardly inclined contacting surfaces and means carried by the top wall for preventing the direct discharge of material across the contacting surface of the top Wall.

3. A. centrifugal machine including a top wall and a peripheral wall relatively movable axially, said walls having downwardly and outwardly inclined contacting surfaces whereby the upper inner edge of the peripheral wall protects the contacting surface of said peripheral wall and said top 'wall having an annular flange projecting below the contacting surface of said top wall.

4. A centrifugal machine having an end wall and a top wall relatively movable to permit the radial discharge of material therefrom, said walls having contacting surfaces and means for protecting said surfaces during such radial discharge. including a top wall portion projecting below the packing surface of said top wall, and an upper inner edge portion on said peripheral wall pro ecting above the contacting surface of the latter.

5. A centrifugal machine including an end wall. a peripheral wall, means for effecting a relative axial movement to permit the radial discharge of material, means for efiecting a seal between said top wall and said peripheral wall, including aseating member carried by said end wall and yieldingly movable axially in respect thereto, and a packing member carried by said end wall and held against said seating member by centrifugal force during the operation ,of the machine.

6. A centrifugal machine including a separation chamber having a pair of end walls and a peripheral wall, one of said end .walls having a lip for the overflow of cleared liquid, and said peripheral wall being axially movable to permit of the discharge of accumulated solid material, an in take pipe extending into said chamber, and an annular partition between said intake pipe and said peripheral wall, and spaced from said bottom wall.

7. A centrifugal machine including a separation chamber having a pair of end walls and a peripheral wall, one of said end walls having a central aperture and an annular edge portion for the overflow of cleared liquid, said peripheral wall and said end walls being relatively movable axially to permit the discharge of accumulated solid material, an intake pipe extending into said chamber through said central opening, an annular partition between said intake pipe and said peripheral wall, and radial partitions between said annular partition and said peripheral wall.

8. A centrifugal machine including a separation chamber having a pair of end walls and a peripheral wall, connections between said end walls for holding them rigid in respect to each other, and including an annular partition spacedfrom said peripheral wall, and a plurality of partitions between said annular wall and said peripheral wall to form an annular series of separation compartments. and means for moving said peripheral Wall axially in respect to said end Walls to permit the radial discharge of material from all of said compartments.

9. A centrifugal machine including an end wall. a peripheral wall, means for effecting a relative axial movement to permit the radial discharge of material, an annular member carried by said end Wall and yieldingly movable axially in respect thereto and pre senting a seat for said peripheral wall, and means for preventing the escape of material between said end wall and said annular member.

Signed at Hanover in the county of Prussia and Republic of Germany this seventeenth day of December, A. D. 1920.

DR. ING. GUSTAV TER MEER. 

